Welcome of Wolves {Vanator, Naomi}

[Naomi]

65th Day of Spring 510 AV Northern Cyphrus Her travels had cost her more than four weeks, Naomi realized. She sat on the grass, hair tied back into a loose ponytail. Flipping through her journal, she bit her lip in thought. Seemed like it was much longer than that, since she had left Zeltiva and successfully navigated her way to Cyphrus. The change in terrain made her home appear so far, but, in reality... Sighing, she looked over to Arrow, chin rested in her hand as she relaxed. The grazing horse had been a blessing, truly, as its glow lit their night journey. Saved her wallet from purchasing torches. Smiling, she stood to glance at their surroundings. It was midday, though the sun wasn't too hot. Without the humidity of her port city, Naomi felt quite comfortable out in this wilderness. Approaching Arrow, she held out a hand to caress his long snout, but immediately drew back as he visibly stiffened. Her stomach flared into worry and, naturally, she turned to watch the high grass with wary eyes. The two were silent, listening. As her horse suddenly reared and whinnied with fright, Naomi spun. Her mind went blank for a moment, unsure of what to do to calm him. Reaching up to grab his reins, she winced as he turned and began to flee at a brisk gallop. "Ah!" she exclaimed. "Arrow!" Panicking, she turned to collect her belongings. Her eyes met gold. Gasping, she immediately brought her hand to draw her shortsword, fumbling. The wolf was extremely large, easily reaching up to her waist in height. Its girth was immense, enough to crush her if it was able to lay upon her breast. It's beige fur made it almost impossible to see within the grass, Naomi saw, meaning it could have been watching her since she sat to rest, waiting for a chance to strike. Her fear escalated as she watched the large wolf began to tense his back legs, obviously ready for a charge. The animal's ears peaked and his face contorted into an intense snarl. The sound caused Naomi to freeze, while lessons of swordsmanship left her mind in an instant. "Oh," she breathed.

[Vanator]

The cries of the panicked horse drew Backlash and Vanator racing across the grass. The frightened mount, wide-eyed, passed by them, and the Drykas continued, eager to find the rider. In moments the scene unfolded before him, the lone woman and the vicious predator that threatened her. As the huge wolf crouched to pounce, Vanator quickly grabbed his bow and loosed an arrow, even as his Strider barreled towards the beast. The missile fell low, zipping past the wolf's neck and sinking into the grassy earth nex to it. The whoosh of the arrow was enough to distract the snarling animal, and it turned towards the approaching Drykas warrior. Vanator dropped the bow and yanked the battle ax from its loop on the yvas. Backlash, undeterred by the wolf's slavering fangs, carried her rider nearly on top of the beast, allowing Van to bring the ax down in a wide arc. The wolf deftly juked to the side, and the ax swung past its bulk, only catching the creature at the rear. The heavy ax head nearly severed the bushy tail, and with a yelp the wolf spun around on its paws and fled into the tall grass. Bringing his steed to a halt before the woman, Vanator slid from the Strider's back. He took a quick look over the woman, who still clutched the short sword in her hand. She appeared unharmed. His temper flared slightly, seeing she traveled alone. She was obviously not Drykas, and he had grown weary of finding the bodies of lone wanderers laying about the grasslands. With a stern tone, Vanator chastised the girl. "Do you have any idea how dangerous it is to travel out here alone!" He turned to look at Backlash, and with a nod of the Drykas' head, the horse galloped off in the direction Arrow fled. "You were two breaths away from being a stripped carcass." He paused when he realized she was most likely still terrified over the ordeal, and did not need his lecture at the moment. His dour features softened, the gold flecks in his dark eyes brightening. The woman was a northerner, no doubt, for her skin was as light as snow, making her eyes appear darker, though they were the same hue as his own. Her garments were not of Drykas design. The Strider trotted up to her rider, trailed by Arrow. "We should leave the area, that wolf is not alone, and will return with her pack." Vanator retrieved his dropped bow, then leaped into his yvaas. "Then you can tell me what in the name of Caiyha's amber locks you are doing out here." The horseman headed out in a gallop, restraining Backlash so the woman and her Gilding could keep up.

[Naomi]

It was over in less than a few moments. The arrow, the rider, the wolf fleeing... Falling to the ground in disbelief, she returned her shortsword to its sheath. Blinking, she looked up at the rider to take him in. He appeared the warrior type, mostly because of his well-muscled form and tanned skin. His hair sported a thin braid laden with silver and bronze bands, immediately causing Naomi to recall information from her classes. As he slid from his horse, she caught a glimpse of a tattoo in the shape of sharp curves. Drykas. Her stomach churned with excitement at meeting a native from a completely different culture. As she opened her mouth to thank him, she winced at his immediate scolding. "Oh..." she whimpered, not quite sure how to respond. Dropping her eyes, she felt her face flush crimson. Childishly, she felt tears beginning to grow in her eyes, but successfully surpressed them. He was right, it had been a foolish decision...but she hadn't had anyone to escort her. Determination to go south, however, had propelled her forward. Naomi felt the vibrations in the ground as the horses returned. Turning her head, she watched as her beloved Arrow trailed the Strider. Standing, she ran to her horse, patting his long mane with worry and affection. At the Drykas' words, however, she nodded, silent. Wincing again at his further chastisement, she climbed up into Arrow's saddle. Pride diminished, she followed the warrior without a word, nudging Arrow to match the pace. When the Drykas stopped, she would immediately feel her face become warm. She wasn't quite sure how to talk her way into making sense. "My thanks are...innumerable," she would say, unable to fully express how grateful she felt. "And...I was traveling alone because I...well, I had no choice. My route is south and no other would guide me." She would then lower her eyes, shamed. "It seems my training in the university did not help me in the wilds. I believe I owe you my life, Drykas. "I am Naomi Verrys, rider. What is your name and how should I repay your kindness?"

[Vanator]

Vanator brought the Strider to a slow halt once they were a safe distance from the site of the wolf attack. The woman first broke the silence that had fallen over their flight across the grass. The Drykas turned his head to regard her with gold-flecked brown eyes, the thin braids at either side of his face swaying as he moved. Naomi Verrys' accent was Syliran, but Vanator was not familiar enough with dialects to discern from what city she may have hailed, though the lilt to her Common was similar to Pygmy's. Not that it mattered. The horseman let out a sigh as the woman struggled to explain herself. She was pretty, he supposed, tall with long legs, though she appeared frail and the paleness of her skin almost matched that of his Konti half-sisters. Vanator shrugged at her savior comment, focusing on the name, repeating it in his head so he would remember. Naomi Verrys. "I am Vanator, and payment is not necessary." He excluded the usual titles that accompanied his name, his pavilion and clan names. They would mean little to her. "Outsiders are to stay on the Kabrin Road, it is safer. There are caravans that travel the road regularly. They are the safest way to cross the grasslands." Vanator had adopted his authoritarian voice, the one he employed when speaking as the son of an Ankal. However, the demure, shamed set to the woman's large brown eyes affected him, and he softened his features with a smile. "I will take you to the Road, maybe you can find others to travel with there." He paused, contemplating other options. She was alone and harmless. "Or I could escort you to Endrykas. There you may find traders or a guide that will take you the rest of the way south." The horselord shifted in his yavas, making a quick scan of the surroundings before turning his gaze back to Naomi.

[Naomi]

At his name, she nodded, yet her face did not break into smile as it usually would. "Well, thank you Vanator. I will find some means of payment anyhow. It's only right." Her gaze lowered and she gave beloved Arrow a soft pat, rubbing his neck affectionately. As he continued to speak, Naomi heard his tone change to become more forceful and commanding, a sign of authority over her. She returned her eyes to his and looked him over once again, quite surprised at his youthful appearance. His willingness to walk the wilds alone meant that he was quite experienced in the wilderness and that would've come with many years of practice to build up the confidence. He was handsome, though, regardless of whatever age he might be. His strong jaw reminded her of pictures of warriors in her books back in the university. Seems he was the perfect representative. "Kabrin Road adds on unnecessary days," she said quiet. Naomi had wanted to arrive to Eyktol as soon as possible, which meant cutting through the grass. A bad decision, yes, but her thought process thought it a good plan. After all, the quicker the trek, the less dangers a traveler would have to face. However, plans like those worked out better on paper than in reality, she had realized. Vanator's mention of Endrykas made her brighten instantaneously and her face broke its somber appearance to show a small smile. "Truly? Oh...I would love to see Endrykas..." Biting her lower lip in thought for a moment, she nodded. "Yes, if...if you could please escort me to Endrykas, that would be amazing. Thank you so much, Vanator." However, when he scanned their surroundings, she stiffened. "What, what is it?" Naomi found herself glancing around the two nervously, anxious.

[Vanator]

Vanator frowned at Naomi's claim that the Kabrin Road took too long to travel. It was not only safer, it kept outsiders out of the grasslands, the Drykas lands. The horseman nodded in acknowledgment of the woman's desire to see Endrykas, and he stifled a grin. He wondered what his friends and family would think of him riding through the Knotted Gates in the company of yet another woman. His grin turned to a laugh as Naomi started to panick again, seeing Vanator surveying the surroundings. "No worries, I am just keeping my eyes open." His smile did not fade, but took a wry twist as he pointed to his eyes with the first two fingers of his hand. "You always have to keep your eyes open out here." Vanator could not help but taunt the foreigner a bit, but he was amazed she had made it this far into the Sea of Grass alive. And there is something to be said for that. "If you are alright, we'll head towards Endrykas. It will take a few days." He vaulted back into the yvas, causing the large battle ax slung from the harness to swing. "And you can tell me why you left your cozy home up north to wander the perilous wildlands of Mizahar." He flashed her another white smile asn he settled onto the Strider's back.

[Naomi]

"Ah," she smiled, realizing they were safe for the time being. However, as he pointed to his own eyes, she scoffed. "Oh, Vanator, you mock me." Shaking her head, she grinned at the Drykas. "These owl eyes of mine can see everything. Whether they react fast enough, well...that's an entirely different story." Chuckling, she nudged Arrow's sides to start forward slowly, ready to quicken the pace if Vanator sped his Strider away. She watched him jump back onto his horse and became comfortable. "I'm fine, though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't shook up," replied Naomi matter-of-factly. "A few days with company sounds wonderful. I haven't seen another soul for almost two weeks. The last tavern I spied was around two bells from the border." Shrugging, she watched Vanator with curiosity. "I left my cozy home to explore the wildlands, actually. I'm on my way to Ahnatep for my mother. After that, I'll probably head north-" she waved a hand, expecting a rebuttal "-and yes, I'll take the Road on my return. Unless, of course, your brethren seem to like me. I'm not quite sure how most Drykas view foreigners, but I've heard it isn't universally open." Naomi smiled after a pause, looking down at the Strider. "You have a beautiful horse, Vanator."

[Vanator]

Naomi seemed to have a sense of humor, which helped to sooth the horseman's irritation at her choice of traveling plans. He returned her smile, urging Backlash to a walk with some unseen signal, allowing Arrow to pull up next to them before setting a steady gait. The foreigner was ambitious, Vanator had to give her that. The woman, who could not be more than twenty-two or twenty-three, had already seen more of the world than he had in his thirty five winters, and she was going as far as Eyktol. As Naomi complimented his horse, Van leaned over to pat the Strider's neck. "Oh, this is Backlash, she is a Cyphrus Strider. There is no breed of horse that can out run them in the open grass. There are few beasts of any kind that can match their speed." As if to confirm the Drykas' boast, the Strider shook her head and whinnied. "And as far as how my Drykas brethren take to foreigners, that all depends on how well you behave. I may be able to convince them not to run you through with a spear on sight." He glanced sidelong at Naomi, flashing a wide grin that belied his teasing intent. Running his eyes again quickly over the light skinned woman, he surmised that his Drykas brethren would certainly welcome the lovely long-limbed girl. Vanator turned his gaze back to the horizon before them, his body relaxed and swaying naturally with his mount's stride. "So, what do you do when you are not traipsing through danger-ridden wildlands and fending off savage predators?" Again he shot Naomi a wry grin.

[Naomi]

Naomi watched his horse curiously. "A Cyphrus Strider? Well, they are a very beautiful breed! Very fearless too! She seemed ready to take on the wolf by herself." She chuckled, amazed at the sheer power of the horse. Looking down at Arrow, she gave him a pat as if to reassure him that she had no intention of replacing him as a steed. Raising a brow, she felt the side of her lips turn to a smile. "Behave? Depends on what they'd expect. I'm a fairly good girl, I think. I've torn a page out of a library book, which is easily the worst crime I've ever commited." Shaking her head, she grinned. "The librarians never got over that..." As the horses continued a steady pace, she occasionally glanced at Vanator. She was much more interested in the scenery. Trying to absorb it all seemed impossible, but her heart ached to explore the tall grasses. Unfortunately, she knew her death would be waiting for her if she ventured alone. However, she turned her head to him when he sarcastically spoke of her adventure. "Oh, saving the world, really." She chuckled. "No, no, I'm a traveling singer. I've always loved to sing and, seeing as I like to travel...well, if an inn needs some entertainment, I sing a few songs for the barkeep and customers." Naomi flashed a large smile. "But I really am an adventurer! I want to become...oh, I don't know, a scholar or something! An archaeologist, a linguist...not quite sure yet. Maybe both." She shrugged. "But yes. What are you doing so close to the border alone, if I may ask?"

[Vanator]

The Spring sun had traveled past its zenith and, though not hot, it provided enough warmth for Van to perspire under his leather armor and across his brow. He wiped his forehead with the leather bracer around his wrist. A light breeze stirred across the top of the tall grass, helping to cool the horseman. Vanator glanced at Naomi as she spoke. He studied her, as he did with all strangers he met. The outsider was at ease, even after her life threatening experience and finding herself alone with a stranger in a strange land. She had an air of confidence about her that allowed the young woman to be comfortable even in an alien situation. The Drykas found that trait very admirable. Naomi spoke of things Vanator did not understand, libraries, archeologists and linguists. He knew some people in Syliras and the cities of Eyktol studied in schools, spawning intellectuals with a lot of knowledge but little experience of the real world. Naomi, though a bit naive in his opinion, was not content to just know about the world, she wanted to see it. This too impressed the older horselord. Finally, he looked down at Arrow. He was a Gilding, rare in the Sea of Grass, but unmistakable as subtle bright shimmers played across the stallion's hide as he moved through the grass. The horse appeared well cared for, and content to carry the light-skinned woman in his saddle. To a man raised among a horse-centric society, Arrow's conditions spoke volumes about Naomi. Content that he was in good company, Vanator turned to the woman riding beside him to answer her question. "Sometimes I need the solitude of the plains to clear my mind and ease my soul. This time I rode several days out of Endrykas, and was just staring my journey back."